Human beings are motivated by an imagined future, a THERE. We simply will not do something unless we can see at least some sliver of hope that it will work toward a better future. That future could be immediate, such as getting a dopamine hit or pacifying an inquisitive teacher. Everything from menial tasks at work to our grandest dream is driven by our vision of the future.
There are several layers to our vision. Several different kinds of Theres.
If we are not intentional, our imagined futures will seem random and disconnected. We may chase one and then the other, without any real consistency or understanding.
The volume of achievements and ideas, mixed with a lack of consistent direction, is a recipe for disaster. We will find ourselves confused and frustrated. Lost. It often means the progress we made yesterday is eclipsed by the new suggestions of today.
Inevitably, we feel ourselves split in several different directions at once, the very definition of a fractured self.
Four Kinds of THERE
The key to sorting this out is understanding the different kinds of Theres and how they relate to one another.
The first kind of There is the tasks we perform on any given day. We do a million of these a day. We call them goals, explicitly and implicitly. On a daily basis, we are performing a vast array of tasks. We brush our teeth (because we want to be hygienic, or at least not embarrassed). We drive to work (because we want to make money). These are small, everyday goals. They move us, moment by moment, further down the road of life.
But where are all these little Theres leading us?
The second kind of There is a milestone. It is, crudely speaking, a bigger goal. When we have a larger There, it helps set us up to build upon our daily tasks and achievements in order to reach something more significant. Graduating college is a milestone. With graduation as a milestone, it helps usher and organize your goals. They work together, building up to this great accomplishment. Our milestones push us through seasons in our lives. And they help us achieve greater levels of meaning and accomplishment.
But what do we do after a season ends? What happens when a milestone is reached? We often call this the “what next” problem. Just like with daily achievements, if our milestones are not consolidated and unified, we will feel torn and confused. It is a bit like jumping from one lilypad to the other. We focus hard on the next lilypad. And then the next. But when we take a moment to look up, we realize we have just been hopping in a big circle.
The third kind of There is a bit more complicated. Wedged between milestones and our Transcendent There (the fourth kind of There) is strategy. A strategy has two components, sort of the way New York is both a state and a city. A strategy is a theme of milestones. So, if graduating college is a milestone, education might be the strategy. It consists of graduating high school, graduating college, and seeking a Masters, maybe even a doctorate. Education is the strategy. Strategy is also the very last achievement in the flow of milestones. So, getting your doctorate is the strategy, the last stop of education.
Finally, a Transcendent There is the highest and most important kind of imagined future. It is the true vision of our lives.
A Transcendent There is a vision that is based on values, the deepest part of who you are.
A Transcendent There, unlike the others, is not something you can finish. It is about values. You can participate in values but never complete them. Think about a husband loving his wife. It is something he can do everyday, but there is never a point where it is over and done with. A Transcendent There is something we can strive and participate in, both in equal measure. We can both strive for and participate in our Transcendent There every moment of our lives.
By discovering a Transcendent There, we push ourselves to the greatest depths and the greatest heights of our existence. It is about living life to the fullest.
A Transcendent There helps us align our daily goals and our milestones with our values. The result is a structure that helps us to live a more consistent and meaningful life.
A victorious life requires intention and alignment. Have you ever seen a set of Russian nesting dolls? The different Theres work just like those nesting dolls. The Transcendent There is the biggest of the Theres. The truest reason. Within that is the strategy, the last milestone and the theme of one strand of milestones. Slightly smaller than the strategies are milestones, seasons of life. And smallest of all are goals, the daily and weekly tasks we endeavor to achieve. By aligning these four kinds of Theres, we maximize the meaning of life. We align our greatest hope with our daily chores.
